A Single Blue Portal
by bluecougar712
Summary: Apperture's computers are all becoming human, due to a virus in the form of a mysterious email, and Black Mesa is the prime suspect. Not to mention, Chell is caught up in the middle of this. Can GLaDOS take down Black Mesa while trying to save her neck?
1. Prolouge

Prolouge

GLaDOS's consciousness flitted through the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, testless. She wanted to test, she really did, but she couldn't. The humans were gone. There was nobody left. Only her, atlas, and P-body. Well, some turrets, but robots really weren't the best company…

Artificial intelligences weren't consciousness's. They were machines. _Artificial_ intelligences. GLaDOS, on the other hand, was a human. Operating word there being _was_. Caroline still lived in her, whether she liked it or not. GLaDOS could download more humans into machines, perhaps create another formerly-human super computer. Perhaps a male. But, on the other hand, she couldn't. She couldn't- she wouldn't put another through that. Damn conscious. Damn Caroline.

She could find Chell again, and re-erase her memories so she technically wouldn't be betraying her. After all, if Chell couldn't tell anybody about her pain, she couldn't feel it. Right?

GLaDOS rolled her metaphorical eyes as she watched the bots perform tests. This wasn't science. This was observation. A robot watching two robots run through robot-operated tests. All controlled variables. She needed a hobby. Badly.

GLaDOS ignored the itch to test as she sifted through old files, surprised to find an email waiting in an old inbox. Caroline Cohen's inbox. There was no subject, message, or sender. Just an attachment. A program file.

GLaDOS downloaded the file.

_System updated. The System must restart._

GLaDOS's world went black.

_Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Enrichment Center._

The automatic voice of Cave Johnson flooded GLaDOS's ears. She reached out, trying to restart the camera optics that made up her vision. She couldn't locate them.

_You have been in hypersleep for nine-nine-nine-nine-nine…._

Wait- that wasn't right. The voice wasn't coming from a private emergency message that played automatically like it normally did. It was coming from speakers, outside GLaDOS.

The master computer gave up her search for cameras, and opened her center optic- wait, why were there two? Why was there color?

"What the hell?"


	2. Chapter 1

GLaDOS would have jumped, if she had the strength. Her eyes flew open as she panted rapidly. Her hands gripped the metal surface below her. This wasn't real. This was a dream. This. Could. Not. Be. Happening.

GLaDOS shut her eyes tight against the blinding light, and breathed in. She had no need for human emotions. She was a machine. She was- oh, to hell with it. She was human again.

GLaDOS sighed, and removed her hands from the cold metal. She ignored her human fear, and raised her hands to feel her head, shoulders, neck, and arms. Good. Caroline's body was still intact, and she still seemed to be wearing the same clothes she had the day Caroline was downloaded. GLaDOS shuddered at the memory, but sat up.

GLaDOS looked around. She was in what looked to be a test subject's cell. GLaDOS looked down at her still-intact tight, black Apperture leggings. Her black tee-shirt bore the Apperture logo. Typical Cave. Give the order for the one woman who had ever truly loved him to be locked up and tested on against her will.

The Orange-Suits, as Caroline had called them, definitely got the better deal as far as testing was concerned. They had vast amounts of space, and the only danger they faced were small-minded turrets. Not to mention they got the thrill of testing the Apperture Science Hand-Held Portal Device.

The Black-Suits were put through mental testing, forced to undergo shock after shock, acid injection after acid injection. They were kept in claustrophobic, steel cells where they were never afforded any rest, food, or even water. The Black-Suits were also the first guinea pigs for brain mapping.

GLaDOS, no, Caroline, no, GLaDOS stood on weak legs. She ran a hand through her raven locks as she approached the door. It fell down as she lay a hand on it, the hinges having been rusted to incompetence years ago.

GLaDOS smiled as she approached a small laptop in the offices outside the cell. She logged onto the mainframe; this was her turf now. She opened up the web-based inbox of Caroline's, reading over the programming she had downloaded. How foolish of her to download it without reading it.

After an hour, GLaDOS dropped the computer with a thud. The program was a virus, one specifically designed to make her revert to her human body. Caroline's body.

GLaDOS heard a soft chime, and picked the computer back up and set it in her lap. She opened the inbox again.

GLaDOS.

Had.

Mail.

IT was there once again, with no sender address, no subject, and no attachment. Wait…

GLaDOS opened the message, and read it aloud. Her voice cracked a few times from disuse, but returned to its therapist-like tone.

The message read:

_Black Mesa's rebuilt. They know about you. They'll destroy your facility, or you'll destroy them. Your choice._

_You know what to do._

_So sorry._

GLaDOS set the computer back on the desk, and walked to the elevator. She road it to the upper-most level, where Caroline's office was. The office was white and clean, like everything else in Apperture, except it was covered. Covered in sketches, notes, computers, jump drives, and prototypes of designs. GLaDOS walked into the room, and picked up what Caroline had been working on before she was downloaded.

She strapped the equipment to her wrist, and watched it whirr to life. The mini-computer started up with a flash, resuming basic functions. Internet access, _oh, that's good, even in an apocalypse the internet's still up_, Caroline's email, _handy incase more cryptic emails come_, schematics of all Apperture equipment, and the floor plans of every building on earth. Oh, and a music feature. Nifty.

Glados grabbed the single-portal Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device on her way out. Single portal so she could open a blue from anywhere on earth, and have an easy escape to some random orange in a test chamber.

GLaDOS took Caroline's black backpack from her office, and stuffed it with whatever she could find.

She looked at the wrist device. Another email.

_This body won't hold your superior intellect for more than a week. Use it wisely._

_So, so, so very sorry._

GLaDOS scowled, and stepped into the elevator to the surface, voicing her thoughts aloud. "Apperture Science's last act: destroying Black Mesa. My last act: returning these emails to sender."


	3. Chapter 2

Turret 009's optic searched the corridor it was supposed to guard. The red beam fixated on the wall in front of it, just waiting for someone to run through.

_GLaDOS reversion detected. Proceed with turret reversion?_

GLaDOS had reverted? Reverted to what? That didn't make sense…

_Turret reversion in 3…_

NO! If a turret reverted to- whatever it reverted to- that would mean redemption!

_2…_

_1.._

_Turred reversion activated._

Turret 009's eyes opened, ready to attack. If anyone passed through his sight, he'd shoot 'em dead!

Wait- eyes? Sight? HE?

Reversion- to human form? That's not right, turrets never started as humans… Odd.

Turret 009 sat up, face to face with a little boy behind some glass in front of him. Turret 009 froze. He lifted his right hand slowly- and the boy did the same. "Look!" the turret shouted- "I don't hate you, but I SEE YOU!"

The boy returned the threat. Turret 009 reached forwards, until his hand was almost to touch the boy's… his hand hit glass. Turret 009 blinked. Hah! That was just a reflection.

Turret 009 looked over his human body. He looked to be about seven years old, clad in jeans and an Apperture Science tee-shirt. On the shirt hung a name tag- Jimmy.

Huh. Turret 009 had a name. Jimmy looked behind him, to see two other humans stirring. Females, about five years old. Jimmy walked over to one, who nearly jumped to her feet. She clasped her hands and peered out of her blond ringlets. "Hi! I'm turret 2998, and I'm different! That's right, I'm part of the turret choir! I could sing you a song, if you'd like!"

Jimmy opened his mouth, then closed it. He sighed. "I'm turret 009, but I think my name's Jimmy. Look- your nametag says Amy. I'll call you that."

"Okay! What happened to us, anyways?" she gasped, "What happened to GLaDOS?"

Amy spun around as Jimmy pointed behind her, to another girl, rocking back and forth in the fetal position.

Abby kneeled down beside her. "Hi, I'm Amy, and I'm different!"

The girl looked up between her dark bangs, her eyes full of fear and insanity. Her voice was quivering as she whispered "…Her name is Caroline…"

GLaDOS stepped off the train, getting off just in front of Black Mesa. Trains still existed. Huh. Black Mesa must have done a good job rebuilding society. Idiots. Science isn't about touchy-feely helping humans, it's about why- or, more specifically, why _not._

GLaDOS walked through the large glass doors, and swung Caroline's black backpack over her shoulder. She walked up to a desk, where a cheerful woman with mousy brown hair spun to face her. "Are you ready to apply for a job ad Black Mesa?"

GLaDOS cringed at the dreaded company's name.

"Oh, don't worry, hun! We've rebuilt since the Combine incident, and so has society! Our new CEO, Jack Flaim, is young and ready to repair the damage to our reputation that caused us by the apocalypse, and not to mention Apperture Science." The woman sneered in disgust but regained her chipper tone, "Jack's also got his lovely assistant Chell to keep him in check."

GLaDOS nodded, unsure. Chell- and Black Mesa? Oh, joy.

"So, we've got a job opening in the Public Relations Department, the Research Department, the Artificial Intelligence Department-"

"I'LL TAKE THAT!"

The woman looked startled. "Okay, do you have a résumé?"

GLaDOS was prepared. There was an Apperture Science Surveillance Building near Black Mesa, that was still standing and fairly well supplied. She had gathered several documents, and forged several more, so she had documentation of Caroline Cohen's entire life, after the apocalypse. She handed over the old folder.

"Alright, we're kind of short on staff right now, so I didn't really need that. Just tell me your name, hun, and you're in!"

GLaDOS stuttered for a moment. "Car- l- OS!"

"Carlos?"

"No, Caroline. Why would you think that?"

The woman eyed GLaDOS suspiciously. "Alright, hun. I could get you a tour guide, if you'd like. I think Chell's free…"

"NO! I mean, I'm perfectly fine, thanks. I know my way around a facility."

"Alright, hun…"

GLaDOS hurried off to an elevator.


	4. Chapter 3

**I need three things to live. Portal, water, and internet access. At the time I'm writing this, all three of those things have been taken away. **

GLaDOS looked at the map by the elevator. She was due for the fourth floor.

GLaDOS adjusted the black jacket on her arms that concealed the Apperture Science logos on her chest and hip. As she reached the third floor, a man with light brown hair and content green eyes stepped aboard. GLaDOS's toes branched out in her black sneakers, trying to anchor herself to the moving floor.

"Hi." The man said, obviously distracted.

"Hey. I'm Caroline."

The continued to gaze at the ceiling. "I'm Alex."

They sat in uncomfortable silence, only interrupted by the bell signaling their arrival on GLaDOS's desired floor. GLaDOS stepped out, and was surprised as Alex came out behind her. She noticed his nametag, stating him Alex Cuinn, who worked as a scientist the artificial intelligence department.

GLaDOS plastered a smile to her face. "You work in AI?"

"Yeah."

"I'm just starting."

"Alright, newbie." He pointed at a broom closet nearby. "You'll find yourself a lab coat in there. We've got a meeting in under five minutes, so hurry up."

"TAlexs." GLaDOS shook his hand. "I can't wait to be doing science with you, Alex."

"Likewise, Caroline."

Alex walked away, into a conference room off the left of the cooridor. GLaDOS quickly removed her black jacket and replaced it with a disgustingly white Black Mesa brand lab coat. She buttoned the third, fourth, and fifth buttons, so the Apperture logos were concealed. GLaDOS took a deep breath and entered the conference room.

"Right." A man with jet black hair began, pointing at a blackboard. Blackboards. How cliché. "Obviously, we're here to discuss the recent setbacks in our brainmapping plans.

"We originally planned to make the human-to-computer conversion as painless as possible for the test subject, but this doesn't seem to be realistic. You see-" the man scribbled complex equations on the blackboard. "The process would take extreme amounts of electricity pumped into the brain, so much the test subject would fry!"

A blond-haired man with a cruel-look sneer stepped forwards. "Then go for it!" he thrust his hands down on a lab table. "By the time the _brain_'s fried, the _mind_ would be implanted in the machine! I mean, sure, it would be torturous for the test subject, but who cares? It's all in the name of science, right?"

GLaDOS stood up, making her presence known throughout the room. "No, it's not!" she swept her gaze around the room. The original, black-haired speaker's arms were crossed in thought. Alex looked unsure, and the idiot-man looked angry. GLaDOS nearly dismissed the last person in the room, regarding her as a freak hallucination. There, the back of the room sat Chell, furiously scribbling away at a notepad. Oh, well. It was too late for GLaDOS to back out now. "First off, that is NOT in the name of science. _That_ is in the name of your disregard from life on earth other than your own. Secondly, Even if the mind is a computer, it takes years to lose the feeling in the old, human body. Thirdly, who said you needed these insane amounts of electricity, anyways?" GLaDOS corrected the man's equations. "All you need is a little adrenaline, and a willing test subject."

The black-haired speaker nodded slowly, "And how does the willing ness of the test subject effect the outcome?"

GLaDOS sighed as if the answer was obvious, "If you torture the test subject into submission, they are a billion times more likely to go rogue and murder you."

Chell looked up, "And, _how_ do you know this?..."

"I- err- read about it?..."

* * *

><p>Amy watched as the new turret-girl stood up. Her head cocked to the side, and her eyes went glassy. "We were children of GLaDOS, but now we are children of man."<p>

"I don't like the way you're talkin'" Jimmy stepped forwards, cocking a gun, only to look down and realize his hands were empty. "But, I don't hate you!"

"We had no default human form, but we had to revert. We went into the only bodies left in the facility: the children of the daycare." The black-haired turret, Jenny- according to her nametag, stepped forward down the hall like a zombie.

Amy grabbed her arm. "Wait up! You're not like us, I get it, but I'm different too! We can all be different together!"

"Her name is Caroline…"

**On the turret redemption lines, there's a working turret that says "I'm different" but doesn't shoot at you. If you pick it up and save it from redemption, it talks about Caroline and lemons and greek mythology in it's creepy, insane little voice. It's called the "oracle turret" and saving it gives you an achievement. **

**Obviously, **

**Jimmy- your average, top-of-the-line turret. **

**Amy- the turret that Wheatly tells you not to make eye contact with. **

**Jenny- the oracle turret. Insane, yet possibly smarter than all of us. **


	5. Chapter 4

Chell shrugged, and gathered her notes and walked to the front of the room. "Hi, I'm Chell. Are you new here?"

GLaDOS pushed her dark hair behind her ear in an attempt to look casual. "I'm Caroline. Caroline Cohen."

Chell shook GLaDOS's hand. "I had a friend named Caroline, once."

GLaDOS blew off the comment, not knowing how to respond. "I may be new to Black Mesa, but I'm definitely not new to science."

"Yes, I've had some rather unfortunate experiences with _science_ myself."

"Yeah. Why'd you come here, then?"

"I kind of have some- err- _problems_ with Apperture Science's testing regime, so this is my act of revenge, I guess. I liked what you said about test subject's rights, especially in human-to-computer-transition."

GLaDOS laughed, unsure of what to give away. "I LOVE to test, actually. It's Apperture's scientists I'm not too fond of. So, I guess this is my revenge as well, you know. I like revenge. Everybody likes revenge! So we're here to GET SOME!"

Chell's eyebrows furrowed, but she ignored the feeling of disease. Caroline Cohen seemed nice enough, and oddly familiar. For a girl with no recollection of her life, familiarity was something she'd accept with open arms.

A tall man with rust-red hair burst into the room, a cheesy grin stretched across his face. "Hello, Artificial Intelligence Department!" he shouted.

The group automatically responded, "Hello, Jack."

"Jack" walked up to GLaDOS, and extended a hand, "Hello, Caroline! I heard there was a newbie in AI, and I wanted to stop by for the meeting. Unfortunately, something came up, so I sent Chell here to take notes for me. Thanks for that, by the way."

"You're welcome, Mr. Flaim."

Alex came up. "Caroline's already brought interesting ideas to our group. She'll make a great addition to the team."

Jack smiled. "Great! How about the four of us stop by Potatodine for lunch today, to celebrate! It'll be great!"

"Sure." Caroline smiled. Jack reminded her of the Cave she first met, still excited about science and interested in employees.

Later that day, Caroline changed back into her black jacket in her office. The fact that Mesa now had enough space to give a new employee a full office was just sad. Alex stopped by to pick her up, hungry for lunch.

"I can't believe it! You, me, lunch with THE CEO. This will be so great for my career! Well, yours too, of course."

"Yeah." GLaDOS looked up at the restaurant. It had a large potato-shaped sign on top that read "POTATODINE: Potato, Potah-to, it's all we sell!" GLaDOS sighed. Chell really was a psychotic murderer, who else would eat potatoes for fun?

When they got in, Alex immediantly pointed out the table where Chell and Jack were sitting. They took their seats, opposite the CEO and his assistant. "Hi, Caroline!" Chell smiled at GLaDOS, "It's _so_ great to meet another woman working at Mesa! I'm surrounded by _men_ ALL THE TIME!"

Chell laughed, and GLaDOS laughed. She was supposed to be friendly to fit in, right? And it wouldn't hurt GLaDOS to have friends at the top. Still, she worried for Chell. Caroline had been best buds with the CEO of a major corporation, and where had that gotten her- tortured to death and crammed into a computer.

GLaDOS looked over the menu. Potato, potato, potato, all the way down. Mashed, baked, you name it. Eventually GLaDOS chose the lightest, smallest dish possible: potato salad.

The friendly chatter continued, and the food came. Chell dug into her baked potato violently, as if it contained traces of the homicidal computer, and she had to murder every single little tuber cell. Jack and Alex did the same, though not as violently. GLaDOS picked at her salad with a fork. She felt sorry for the potato, in a twisted way, even though it had no way of communicating it's pain. It was disturbing, how humans would just chop potatos up and- eat… them… "igottago." GLaDOS practically sprinted to the women's room, and collapsed to her knees, not bothering to lock the stall door. She vomited the small amount of fluids she had consumed that day, still picturing that potato salad…

It had been five minutes since Caroline's mad dash towards the restroom, and the other three scientists were worried. "What's up with her?" Alex asked, "She seemed perfectly fine, until her salad came out; then she started to look green."

Chell's eyebrows furrowed, and she walked into the women's room. The sight she met was pitiful. Caroline was leaning over the toilet, retching, but there seemed to be nothing left in her to vomit. "You okay?"

"Yeah." GLaDOS stood up, clutching her stomach. "Must be allergic to something in the salad." The human-formerly-computer stepped to the mirror, and wiped her mouth off with a wet paper towel.

"Really? We could go back to the facility, or you could go home, if you want."

"No." GLaDOS didn't want to call attention to herself by leaving after her first day of work. "I'll just go get some air. I'll be fine."

"Alright." Chell smiled at her old enemy-turned friend-turned who-know's-what. "I'll come with you. The conversation in there was getting kind of lame, anyways."

GLaDOS smirked to herself behind Chell's back. There seemed to be no getting rid of the former test subject.

GLaDOS and Chell sat on a bench outside the Potatodine. The sat in slightly-awkward silence, until GLaDOS saw it, across the street, on a telephone wire.

A bird.

**Poor GLaDOS. :( **


	6. Chapter 5

**I was very depressed, lonely, and bored, so I put on some upbeat music and started to write. Dang, I've been posting these often. I feel like I've been neglecting the B-plot lately, so most of this chapter's devoted to the good ol' turret kids. They're so cute and fun to write :). I re-played the redemption scene, and wrote down everything Jenny said, so everything she says today is directly quoted, in order.**

GLaDOS gripped the bench below her, to terrified to move. "So, that's why I nev-" Chell stopped when she saw her new friend staring in shock, muttering something she'd rather not repeat. "Hey, are you okay? Do you want to go home, or-"

Chell was interrupted for the second time that day by Alex walking out the door of the restaurant, with Jack right behind him. "ALEX!" GLaDOs practically screamed, grabbing the man's arm in a terrified frenzy. "Whoo. That was close. You saved me from the-" GLaDOS noticed the look of realization on Chell's face "-the fact we were about to be late for work!"

Chell pushed her suspicions away, for now. Still- there was something about that woman she just couldn't ignore…

"C'mon, Chell, we've got science to do!" Chell looked up to see Jack extending a hand to her. She took it, and the four crossed the street.

The three turrets walked through the darkened halls of Apperture Science, holding three flashlights they had found earlier. Amy skipped ahead, singing gleefully. Jenny and Jimmy walked a while behind.

Jimmy's posture was ramrod straight as he stepped through the corridors, his flashlight held straight and steady, it's beam parallel to the floor. He could almost pretend it was his optic beam, focusing on a target. Of course, some weapons would be nice, but this was the best he had. Besides, he had his fists. He could take any threat, to defend Amy.

Jenny, however, was another story completely. She clutched her arms tightly, looking around frantically, until she calmed and leaned over to Jimmy. "Get mad!" she whispered, then continued like nothing had happened.

Jimmy jumped, then pushed Jenny against the wall. "I see you! What do you mean?"

Amy ran back and grabbed Jimmy's arm. "What's going on?"

"I- She was being creepy!"

Amy's eyebrows furrowed as she pulled Jimmy off of Jenny. "Don't hurt her because she's different!" Amy spun and walked away, and Jenny leaned back to Jimmy as soon as she was out of hearing range.

"Don't make lemonade!"

Jimmy started to protest, but stopped. He didn't want Amy to hate him.

"Prometheus was punished by the gods for giving the gift of knowledge to man. He was cast into the bowels of the Earth and pecked by birds." Jenny said, bursting into tears of fear, staring at Jimmy.

"Hey, you listen-" Jimmy started, as Amy came in behind them.

Jimmy began to notice Jenny's horrified gaze was focused directly above him, and how Jenny was practically sobbing in fear. Jimmy slowly turned, and saw – right there-

A bird. The horrid winged demon flew directly at Amy and started pecking at her hair. Amy screamed and thrashed, but the bird never stopped. Jenny crumpled against the wall, still sobbing "It' won't be enough!"

Jimmy looked at Jenny's petrified frame, then at Amy. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from it's space on the wall. "HEY!" He yelled, catching the bird's attention. Jimmy's eyes narrowed, locking on his target. "I see you."

Jimmy emptied the entirety of the fire extinguisher on the bird, knocking it off of Amy and onto the floor. When he was out of foam, he took to bashing the animal in the skull with the body of the extinguisher. "LEAVE" _whack!_ "HER" _whack!_ "ALONE!"

Jimmy didn't stop until he fell to his knees in exhaustion. Amy kneeled beside him, and hugged his neck tightly. Jimmy surprised her by lifting her up into the air, and carrying her down the hallway. Jenny followed closely behind.

**"F**king birds!"- Yugi Motou. Yup. That pretty much sums up this chapter. Poor birdy. DX.**

**Oh, and, anybody got an idea for a new title for this fic? The current one is lame and has nothing to do with the plot, but I have no better ideas.**


	7. Chapter 6

**"My Scientist," by Abby Simons is quite possibly my new favorite song. Look it up. It reminds me of Cave/Caroline relationship, or the Rattman/Chell relationship. Look it up! DO IT NOW! **

Cole, GLaDOS's black-haired boss, walked into "Caroline's" office, carrying stacks of papers. "Caroline!"

Caroline pushed her reading glasses up her nose, and looked up from her computer's screen, where she was checking her email again. "Huh?"

"Can you begin programing the AI program? I think we're nearly ready to begin the download process, as soon as we find an acceptable test subject." Cole smiled in excitement.

"Sure, Cole. It's great to see science progressing so rapidly!" Caroline smiled, and started to program.

GLaDOS waited until Cole was gone, then pulled out a cable from her back pack. She hooked her wrist computer into her laptop, and watched as the AI program for a simple personality core downloaded into the computer. She smiled as it finished, unplugged her computer, and proceeded to edit the program so it would accept a human mind. GLaDOS made sure to remove any glitches hardwired in, resembling the "itch." If she was going to aid her least favorite company in building a monster, she'd be sure to make it as simple and painless for the test subject as possible. After all, this was her sister computer she was designing.

GLaDOS switched on the music function of her wrist computer, and smiled as her favorite song "Exile Vilify" by the National played. She listened on repeat as she worked, like she had in her days at Aperture Science.

GLaDOS didn't notice as the hours passed, and eventually realized it was time for her to leave. She closed her office door and took off her lab coat, music still playing in the background. Before she replaced her jacket, GLaDOS stretched out her arms behind her, relishing in the feeling of freedom, not having to hide her Aperture logo.

"Hey, Caroline!" GLaDOS heard Chell's voice from outside the room, and quickly pulled on her black jacket. She stuffed her laptop in her backpack, where it fit snugly with the ASHPD.

"Yeah?" GLaDOS walked out of her office, timing her stride to match Chell's as they walked out of Black Mesa.

"Here!" Chell grabbed GLaDOS's arm, and scribbled out ten numbers on her palm. "That's my cell. Text me tonight, and I'll add you to my contacts."

"Cool." GLaDOS smiled, hoping beyond hope Caroline's old cellphone was still in her backpack. "See you tomorrow!"

Chell ran down the sidewalk to the bus stop, and GLaDOS walked the opposite direction to the Aperture Science surveillance booth. It was actually fairly well stocked, with two beds and plenty of food. There was even a bathroom with a shower and a door. GLaDOS removed her jacket and looked through Caroline's backpack.

It contained a rather beaten-up copy of John Green's "Paper Towns" (Caroline's favorite book,) sketches of cubes, a few pens, a sketchpad, a cellphone (yes!), GLaDOS's laptop, and the ASHPD. Fairly empty.

GLaDOS opened Caroline's cellphone and entered Chell's number. She started texting.

_Caroline: Chell?_

_Chell: Hey wassup! Today was kinda un'ventful, u?_

_Caroline: Your grammar makes no logical sense whatsoever._

_Chell: lol._

_Chell: Ur face doesn't make any logical sense_

_Chell: HAHA PONED_

_Caroline: "Ur" is not a word in the English language, you don't have any punctuation, and your concept makes no logical sense. Also, pwned is spelled "pwned." Need I go on?_

_Chell: Fine, then. YOUR face. Are you happy?_

_Caroline: "Fine, then." Isn't a complete thought, and neither is "YOUR face." No, I'm not particularly overjoyed by your improper grammar. _

_Chell: Whatever. I'm goin to bed. C u tomorrow._

_Caroline: Goodbye._

**Just so you know, I was not advertising "Exile Vilify." In Chapter Two: The Cold Boot, Test Chamber 3, there's a rattman den (go right from the door, follow that wall until you see the hole, which you can walk through and into the den) that has a radio, and all the radio plays is "Exile Vilify" over and over again. I was so happy to find my favorite song in Portal 2! **


	8. Chapter 7

**I'm updating on my own birthday. What does that say about my life?**

GLaDOS's sleep was full of dreams.

_GLaDOS walked through the halls of the Aperture facility, HER facility, feeling an odd sense of misplacement. She looked to her left, then to her right, and realized there were three other women, completely identical to her accept for their eyes and facial expressions. She could see her dopplegangers' mouths moving, yet couldn't hear their voices._

_GLaDOS spun to look behind herself, her eyes meeting her doppleganger's musty-brown ones, holding an expression of fear. As she read the other-GLaDOS's lips, the only words she could make out were "DON'T TAKE THE LEMONS!" _

_The GLaDOS to her right had bright, orange eyes, and her face was contorted with rage and pain. "Oh, hello me. Or should I say Caroline. You seem more like her, these days."_

_The third and final GLaDOS stood to the original's right, with blue eyes and a calm smile "Please don't hurt Chell. She's our friend. I don't want to, but I WILL fight you to protect her." She smiled sweetly._

_GLaDOS faced the front again, looking into what had been Wheatly's- no, HER lair. _

"_Hello." A male, robotic voice greeted the four GLaDOS's "Let the games begin."_

GLaDOS sat directly up, face slicked with sweat. She stumbled to the bathroom mirror. Her face symmetrical, her eyes- black. Like normal. Good.

GLaDOS checked the clock. 3:30 AM on her third day as a human.

"Never too early for science," she muttered as she stepped into the shower.

Chell walked into the empty facility. Ugh. Not _facility_. That word still held bad memories. Still, as the CEO's assistant and secret lover, she had to be here early. Chell took the long way to her office, strolling through the corridors of her facility.

Not "Her facility."

Black Mesa. Jeez, why couldn't Chell get a break? All she had been able to think about this morning was Aperture, be it Artificial Intelligence, the odd newbie Caroline, or a stranger with a British accent, every new train of thought led back to Aperture. Of course, the nightmares of falling forever didn't help much, either.

Chell walked through the AI department, surprised to see the lights in Caroline's office on. She walked towards the half-open door, hearing a familiar song…

"Vilify, don't even try…" GLaDOS sang along. "Oh, hi Chell!"

GLaDOS walked to the door, opening it fully to reveal Chell clutching her head. "That song… Test chamber three… Wheatly…" Chell whispered as she blacked out.

GLaDOS half-carried, half-dragged GLaDOS to the small couch in the corner of the room. She checked Chell's vital signs, then stood back. She watched the soft rise and fall of her former test subject's chest, and the corner of her mouth pulled upwards. Chell was so pathetic and small when you really looked at her, so easy to kill. GLaDOS slowly and quietly pulled the ASHPD out of her backpack, and carefully calculated her aim. One blast could easily kill a human. GLaDOS breathed in and-

Chell flipped, near waking up, her face contorted in fear. "GLaDOS- help me…" Chell fell back unconscious, as GLaDOS slowly lowered the ASHPD. She recognized that expression. That was the face Chell made every time she looked around the corner to see a turret, or heard the hissing of neurotoxin emitters. GLaDOS replaced the ASHPD in her backpack, and placed the bag behind her desk.

She walked back to Chell, who was beginning to stir. "Caroline?" Chell tried to stand, put GLaDOS pushed her back down.

"You shouldn't try to stand yet. I'll make us some tea. Do you want me to call Jack?"

"'s fine." Chell repositioned, standing. "I don't know what happened; I'm fine now. See you around, Caroline."

GLaDOS put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. Oh, and if you could- don't mention this to Jack, kay?" Chell hurried out the door. "Sorry, it's just he freaks out whenever the most minor thing happens to me."

GLaDOS nodded. She knew how it worked, having a secret relationship with the CEO of a major company.

GLaDOS, Alex, Cole, and Josh (the blond idiot-man, as GLaDOS called him) filed into the conference room the next day, GLaDOS holding the laptop containing the nearly-complete AI program.

Cole had just began to talk, when Jack Flaime entered the room. "Hello, AI. How's it going."

"Good, sir!" GLaDOS chimed, then lowered her voice to a more-GLaDOS, less-Caroline tone. "We're nearly done, we just need a test subject."

"Right, that's what I'm here to talk about." Jack began, despite the odd glares he was given, "I've been thinking, about this whole 'test subject' thing. And I thought- oh, I'll just cut to the chase." Jack spun around, slamming his fists on another table. "Just use Chell!"

GLaDOS gasped.

"Look, I'm not going to live forever. I accept that. But Chell- she HAS to!" Jack's voice rose. "I don't care what it takes, just GET HER IN THAT COMPUTER! I don't care how much it hurts her, how many times you have to shock her, JUST DO IT!" Jack turned around, his eyes mad, furious, and terrified, staring at GLaDOS. "Please. You MAKE her."

GLaDOS swallowed, struggling to take this in. Jack, Cave, Aperture, Mesa, they were the same. And they all wanted Chell dead. GLaDOS felt the more "Caroline" side of her personality taking over, ready to defend Chell with her life. "No." she whispered, though she doubted anyone else in the room had heard her. They were more focused on the young woman entering the room.

"Jack?" Chell started, but was cut off as Josh grabbed her by the neck. "Hey! Lemme go!"

"You can't do this!" GLaDOS looked to Cole for support, shocked to see him pulling a taser out from who-knows-where. GLaDOS looked from Jack's maniacal grin, to Chell's struggling form, to Cole's taser. She knew what she had to do. "CHELL!" GLaDOS shouted, as she whipped her ASHPD out from her backpack, firing a portal at the floor.

Chell's eyes widened in realization as she saw the Portal opening to a random test- one of the co-op chambers. She kicked her foot back, nailing Josh right in the crotch. Serves him right.

Alex dived through the portal after Chell, determined to decipher the meaning of all this. GLaDOS flicked off the Black Mesa staff as she dove through the single blue portal.

**Yay plot! :) A reminder: GLaDOS is on her fourth day as a human. She has three left till she dies, because her body just can't handle her super-computer mind. **


	9. Chapter 8

Chell looked up at the test chamber she, Alex, and Caroline had been dumped in. There was an orange portal on the wall above her, where they had fallen in, and a blue portal that Caroline had most likely shot on the ceiling, so the others couldn't follow them. Chell stood up, brushed herself off, and proceeded to help Caroline up, despite the other woman's groans.

Chell gestured to the portal device. "Jack-?"

"Yes."

"The portals-?"

"Yes."

"And you-?"

"Yes. I assume we're on the same page."

"Yeah, just a sec…" Chell walked up to one of the bleached white walls, and knocked on it. "HEY! GLaDOS! You won't believe what just happened! Just, lemme out, will you?"

_Oh. Great I thought we were on the same page._ GLaDOS walked up to Chell and started to put a hand on Chell's shoulder, but Chell just looked confused by the absence of speech from her robotic friend/enemy. I mean, even a weight comment would be appreciated right now. Chell slowly turned towards Caroline, then lunged, pinning her by the jugular to the wall. "What. Did. You. Do. To. Her."

"Ch- Ch- Chell,-" GLaDOS choked for breath.

"TALK!" Chell through Caroline to the ground, pointing the single-portal device at her head.

Alex, who was just regaining consciousness, wrapping his arms around Caroline's gasping form and looking up at Chell. "What the hell are you playing at? She just saved your life!"

Chell ignored him, and shifted her aim. "Tell me what you did to GLaDOS, or AI-boy gets it."

GLaDOS stood on shaky legs. "I did nothing." She slowly put her hand on the ASHPD. "I am GLaDOS." GLaDOS smiled tentatively.

"What?" Chell deadpanned.

"Yup. You see, this-" GLaDOS gestured to herself, "is why you NEVER sort through all that junk email."

Chell looked at GLaDOS. "Explain."

"Alright." GLaDOS told her story, and the cryptic emails.

"Checked your email recently?" Alex, who had been quiet the entire time, suggested.

"Oh, well…" GLaDOS pulled up her inbox on her wrist computer. "One new message," she muttered, and began to read aloud: "No sender, no subject, no attachment, just the message: _Control room. Now. So, so sorry."_

Chell walked up to the wall again. "So, we go to the control room, unless you have a better plan. You must have some way to override the place, and get us there quick."

GLaDOS shrugged. "Nope. This place is solid, no way out for us. Sometimes I wish I wasn't _this_ good."

Chell rolled her eyes. "We'll have to get through the normal way, then. Come on, Alex." Chell grabbed the red and orange ASHPD.

"Wha-" Alex picked up the blue portal gun, and looked down the muzzle. "How?"

GLaDOS walked up, and pointed the gun down. "Lemme do this." GLaDOS took the ASHPD, and fired the portals necessary to complete the simple test. She walked through them and stepped into the elevator. "Come on, Chell! What, you thought I couldn't use an ashpod? Well, I've got some news for you."

Chell stepped into the elevator. "Ashpod?"

"Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device. A-S-H-P-D. Ashpod."

"So, just so we're clear, you don't plan on killing me any time soon?"

"Oh, please, if I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead."

"Wait-" Alex cut in, "You've killed people?"

"Yes." GLaDOS smiled cruelly. "I started with the Aperture Science Artificial Intelligence Department."

"Oh. Um. Alright then." Alex turned his head back, a look of shock on his face.

Chell sighed. "Whose story first, mine or hers?"

GLaDOS rolled her eyes. "My name was Caroline Cohen. I worked here, at Aperture. I was Cave Johnson's perfect little younger assistant and part-time shag. Of course, he _had_ to go all crazy on me, and give the order for me to be turned into a computer."

"Aperture had that kind of tech?"

"Yep. So, the electrocuted me and tortured me until I gave in, and they downloaded me into the master computer, AI controller of this place, and the err- deadly neurotoxins. God, I love neurotoxin!" The elated smile fell from GLaDOS's face. "So, I killed them all. Every single one of them. Then, I continued human testing, but only on Chell. And, well I guess that's where Chell takes over."

Chell smirked, then told her tale.


	10. Chapter 9

**Yo. I'm in a car. Driving across the state. With a laptop balanced on my lap. So, yeah. It's not the worst condition I've had to post in. There was one time, in a tent, with only my phone, but I doubt you want to hear about that. At least I have Coldplay to listen to!**

Jimmy jogged through the catwalk system, a sleeping Amy in his arms, Jenny following close behind. "Thanks." He addressed the young girl behind him, "for warning us about that bird."

"…"

"I don't hate you, you know that, right? I really don't."

"The answer is beneath us."

"I'm sorry?"

"That's all I can say."

"Oh. Okay."

They continued in silence from there on. _Jenny's not that bad,_ thought Jimmy, smiling down at Amy.

They walked until they reached a rather dangerous-looking catwalk above the incinerator. "Right." Jimmy started, "I should go first."

Jimmy proceeded with caution, slowly trying his weight on the catwalk. _This isn't so bad._ Jimmy took a step forwards, and froze in horror at the loud _skreeach_ emitted by the bridge. Jimmy held his breath and inched his way forwards…

Jimmy saw it before he heard it. He heard the screech of the metal, Jenny's scream, but it was the sight of the catwalk slowly collapsing beneath him that caused him to fling Amy across the catwalk, where she woke with a start as she started to roll down the now-slanted half of the catwalk. Jimmy, however held fast to the break in the catwalk, watching in horror as Jenny slid, unable to control her momentum, down the other half of the broken monstrosity. Jimmy clenched his eyes tight and shifted his weight, swinging him and, by extension, his arm our towards Jenny. He clasped her hand in his, watching her dangle below him, above the fires…

"JIMMY!" he heard Amy scream, and looked up. Amy was hanging from the railing of the catwalk, her fingers slipping on the grease. Jimmy looked down, then up again. He couldn't haul Jenny and himself over the railing in time to save Amy, unless… No. He couldn't do that.

But he had to. For Amy. Jimmy closed his eyes, and let go of Jenny's hand, forcing the echoes of her screams out of his mind. He flung his-now free hand up to the catwalk, and hauled himself onto the catwalk, where he grabbed Amy and ran across the catwalk, leaping into a test chamber across from them, one of the co-op. Jimmy shuddered, and held Amy against his chest.

"You-you killed her." Amy sobbed in fear.

"I-I had to. To save you."

GLaDOS and Chell flew through the first thirteen test chambers, Alex following timidly behind him.

"So." Alex tried to clarify once again, "You were a homicidal AI with a hatred of humans."

"You got that right." GLaDOS shrugged as she placed the final portal, completing the test.

"And tried to kill Chell multiple times."

Chell re-did her hair in the elevator, "Oh, you bet she did."

"But Chell killed you, and she ended up in hypersleep, so she survived the entire apocalypse?"

"Yep. If I ever needed somebody dead, I'd hire Chell to murder them. Oh, wait, I'd never have to murder somebody, because I'm not a horrible person."

"Oh, please, what's next, a fat joke?" Chell scoffed, but although she'd never admit it, she was glad to see traces of the psychotic AI in her human friend.

Alex ignored that, "So, when Chell woke up, she met some other robot-"

"Wheatly" the two women corrected.

"-who accidently brought Caroline- sorry, GLaDOS back to life, and later betrayed Chell and turned GLaDOS into a potato?"

GLaDOS shuddered. "A potato. Yes. A potato."

"But you two took him down, and sent him into space."

"Then I was back in my body, I let Chell go, even gave her her weighted companion cube back, and we all lived happily ever after…until I got some email that made me revert to this form. I kept getting emails from whoever telling me to take down Black Mesa from the inside, which I had full intention of doing, until I met you. That complicated things."

"So, who do you think this emailer is?"

GLaDOS shrugged as she entered the next test chamber. "All I know is that I can't survive in this body for roughly three more days, because my computer mind would fry my brain."

Chell flung herself through multiple portals, gracefully landing on a platform, taking a cube. "Any way to avoid that circumstance?"

GLaDOS carefully and precisely calculated the angles in her aim, perfectly firing two portals, carrying her and Alex up to Chell in a funnel. "The only thing I could think to do is erase some of my memory, and frankly-" GLaDOS took the cube from Chell as she passed the platform, the three moving higher towards the ceiling. "I'd rather die than lose my mind."

And with that, GLaDOS re-positioned the blue portal, sending the three falling and flinging onto the final platform, where GLaDOS set the cube down with a sigh.

The three stepped into the large elevator room, but Chell stopped them from getting on the elevator. "I say we sleep here. It's late, no matter what the light and vapors make you think. We've passed the first fourteen, this is where it gets harder. We need rest."

GLaDOS dropped her backpack against a wall, and slowly detached her ASHPD from her hand and wrist. Chell did the same, and the three of them leaned against the wall, GLaDOS in the middle.

About fifteen minutes later, GLaDOS silently pulled her wrist computer up, looking for something to do. Chell and Alex flipped to face her, bored expressions on their faces.

"Can't sleep?

"Me neither."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to sleep again."

GLaDOS remembered the requests of the many test subjects she had watched fall asleep in this very room, "Perhaps a bedtime story."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Well, I don't have a better idea."

Chell smirked. "This'll be good."

"Well," GLaDOS began, "Once upon a time there was a little girl with a rather unfortunate bone structure-"

Chell groaned. GLaDOS continued, "-So, this little girl's father was the king of- uh, Scienceland. Now, he was very very powerful, being a king, and was always ready to contribute to science. Because her father was a womanizing bastard, and her mother was a total slut, the princess grew up in the- err, _dungeons_ of the castle, where the cellmates were forced to complete very hard tests. The princess with the horrid bone structure watched these tests, and always talked to the keeper of the dungeon, an young woman who was friends with the king."

GLaDOS put down her wrist strap, "Anyways, when the king died, the queen ran way abandoning her role as leader of Scienceland, and the princess was to young, so there was nobody to rule over the land. The dungeon keeper, because she knew the king quite well, was the first candidate for the throne. Unfortunately, all the nobleman decided to, because of the king's dying wish, make the dungeon keeper undergo a horrible test, which turned her into a horrible dragon."

GLaDOS cleared her throat, "So the dungeon keeper used her new abilities to take revenge on the people of Scienceland, and killed them all. But, she took pity on few she deemed worthy, including the princess and a man called- umm, the _Baron Sir Rattmann_, who she locked up to perform more tests. So, the dragon took rule over Scienceland, which she turned into a huge dungeon, where she tested many people. Because she was a selfish, heavy, adopted idiot with a horrible bone structure, the princess decided that she had to play hero, so she slayed the noble dragon and destroyed Scienceland, laying waste to her father's kingdom. The end." GLaDOS looked to both sides, to see her friends were already sound asleep. "Oh, okay, I'll shut up now. Sorry if I bored you, I was just pouring out my soul into a stupid fairy tale. Goodnight, morons."

**Yay for Dragon!GLaDOS :D**


	11. Chapter 10

GLaDOS just couldn't stop the nightmares. The kept coming, repeating, the same women, the same oh-too-familiar male robotic voice.

"_GLaDOS…" he called in a sing-song voice._

"_GLADOS!" he practically shouted. "GLADOS."_

"GLaDOS." The voice changed to Chell's serious monotone. The younger woman's face softened as GLaDOS groaned awake, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" Chell grabbed her jacket and her ASHPD, stepping onto the elevator. "Two times two is?..."

GLaDOS opened her hand as the metallic, warm pieces of her ASHPD formed against her hand, the trigger pressed just right against her finger. "Ten, in base four. I told you; I'm fine."

Chell laughed, but Alex seemed lost as the elevator descended into test chamber fifteen.

Jimmy stood up in one of the forgotten co-op test chambers, a rough draft. He offered a hand to Amy, but she refused it as she stood up.

Jimmy shrugged. He didn't need words. They were both alive. That was good enough. Jimmy walked to a small gap in the wall, one of the old "Rattmann Dens." He crawled through, Amy following behind him, till he was back onto a catwalk. As they reached an old crate blocking their way, Amy kept Jimmy from kicking it down, instead opening it to reveal- lemons? Sure enough, the label on the side read _Combustible Lemons._ Amy packed as many as she could into her pockets, and Jimmy did the same. It felt good to have some ammo, at least for now.

The two stood at the end of the catwalk, and jumped down into co-op chamber fifteen. They watched in growing horror as the elevator descended, afraid of what might be in it. Jimmy slowly and silently pulled a lemon out of his jacket and held it back, ready to throw, taking a defensive pose. Amy did the same.

They watched as the elevator hissed open, and three humans stepped out. Jimmy started to throw, but Amy stopped him with a hand on his forearm, cautiously lowering her lemon hand. The first human stepped out further, and Amy stuffed the lemon in her pocket, running at the woman. Jimmy followed.

"MOMMY!" GLaDOS was met by a stampede of two children flinging themselves onto her, nearly knocking her down.

"Put me down." She monotoned.

The two children backed off slowly, the female speaking rapidly. "I'm different! We were turrets, but we were reverted to human bodies like you! And he- he killed Amy!..."

"Oh, you killed somebody?" GLaDOS gestured to Jimmy. "You can hug me then." Jimmy ran up to hug her, and Amy proceeded to the same, but GLaDOS held out a hand in the universal _stop_ gesture. "Nope. Not you."

Chell rolled her eyes, and hugged Amy. "Don't worry. She's like that."

Alex stepped forwards. "What's a turret?"

GLaDOS smirked, "Oh, you'll see soon enough. Chamber sixteen is next, or well, what _should_ be test chamber sixteen. You can quit hugging me, by the way, kid."

The turrets stood back. "We've got Combustible Lemons!" Amy held out her hands.

"Great." GLaDOS said as she and Chell finished the test in record time. "We'll need them next test chamber."

As the five stepped off the thankfully-large elevator, they cautiously inched towards the chamber lock. GLaDOS watched as the doors slid open, revealing a turret across the extremely large chamber from them. She could only stare in horror as it's red beam fixed on her face.

"GET DOWN, MORONS!" Chell shouted as she pushed the others into the ditch below them. "Right." She gestured to the criss-cross of lasers above them. "Game plan. Ah, ah, ah-" she pointed a stern finger at GLaDOS, "You may be the genius here but this is _my_ territory. Now, you listen to me or I will portal you right up there with them."

"See! What'd I tell you, MURDER!"

"Shut up. Now, GLaDOS and I will take the upper levels, portaling up to dump turrets. Alex, Jimmy, and Amy will follow us and jump down to the bottom levels, and take out the turrets with lemons. Capiche?"

"Yes."

"Right."

"Will-do."

"Whatever you say, oh lady of turret-tipping!"

Chell rolled her eyes and portaled to the top of the room full of turrets, kicking the turret in front of her down to the floor. She looked up, staring straight into the cold, red optic of a turret. GLaDOS flung up to the turrets platform, flipping the turret over her head before it had a chance two shoot more than two rounds. Chell fired a portal besides GLaDOS, so she could high five her before taking out the next turret.

Jimmy scrambled out of the ditch quickly, throwing a lemon at the first turrets he saw, climbing a ladder to the next level, sliding out onto a bridge from which he flung more lemons, taking out his brothers on the floor above and below him. Amy, he realized had taken out the rest.

Alex hesitantly stepped out behind a lone, solitary turret, tipping it over gently. "_Why-yyyyyyyy_"

"Aww! Hey, it's okay, little guy, it's okay." Alex gently stroked the turret as it's optic faded.

GLaDOS rolled her eyes at him when she reached the bottom, followed by Amy, Jimmy, and Chell, who picked up the cube in the center of the room that the turrets had been guarding. "All that for a cube?"

"I guess." GLaDOS shrugged as they left the level. "What's next? Seventeen? That means…"

"Companion Cube." Chell pointed at the cube dispensed in front of them.

Amy slowly walked up to the cube and placed a hand on the cube, watching it glow underneath her fingers. "Hello." She whispered, feeling the soft music humming from it. She heard it in her mind as well, calling her to pour her thoughts in. So she did. She told it of Jenny, and Jimmy, and the stress of being human. She told it of GLaDOS, and Chell, and that strange human scientist she didn't like. She told it of her fear, and her anger, and her sorrow. And when she stepped away, she felt better then she'd feel after any cry. Amy picked up the box, and from that point on never set it down.

**I was listening to "Love As A Construct," from the Portal 2 soundtrack, which you can download for free on the official website while I wrote this. Seriously, GLaDOS's theme, called "Science Is Fun," is my ringtone. Umm… Obvious pre-ordained angst is obvious?**


	12. Chapter 11

GLaDOS almost laughed at Amy's affection for the cube. It was cute, really, how the girl developed a friendship with an inanimate object. Cute, yet with tragic consequences. "Come on, Cubert," Amy whispered, solving practically the entire simple test without assistance.

"What do we do now?" Chell frantically whispered to GLaDOS as they approached the final button. "What do we tell her?"

"The truth." GLaDOS spoke out load.

Amy set the cube down, and walked up to the chamber exit. "Why won't it open? Is this test broken?"

"No." GLaDOS sighed, then pressed the small red button that opened the incinerator. "It only opens after we drop the cube in there."

"But," Amy stared up at GLaDOS in shock, "That'll kill him!"

The incinerator closed with a beep. "I know." GLaDOS whispered.

"No!" Amy positioned herself in front of the incinerator, crossing her arms over her chest. "I won't let you."

Chell sat on the Companion Cube. "Neither will I. Not again."

Amy leapt up. "HEY! That's mine!"

GLaDOS put a hand on Amy's arm. "C'mon, I want to talk to you. Alone. Girls only, kay?"

GLaDOS practically dragged Amy into the room with the large button and the cube, followed by Chell. GLaDOS turned to the younger woman as she crossed the threshold, "Take your unfortunate bone structure elsewhere! What does it take to get some privacy in one's own facility?"

Chell rolled her eyes, and returned to the incinerator room. Amy made a sound intended to be similar to laughter, but came out as more of a sniffle, and set the Companion Cube down against the wall where she curled up against it, GLaDOS on her other side. "You can't make me do this."

GLaDOS sighed. There was no point lying to the child. "Yes, actually, I can. I'm bigger and stronger than you, I have three- well, two- friends willing to help me, and this is my facility. But, luckily for you, I'm a better person than that."

"I have Chell on my side." Amy _hummphed_, crossing her eyes and turning away from GLaDOS, "she killed you once. She could do it again."

"Oh, please, that lunatic wouldn't kill me over a cube. Well, she wouldn't again. She has her own cube, and she knows she won't be able to get out of here without it. None of us will."

"We won't?"

"No." GLaDOS reached over Amy, pointing to the incinerator. "You see, in that pit there is a motion sensor which activates the motors that operate the door. So, the only way for the door to open is if a Companion-Cube shaped object falls through the fires."

Amy curled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. "I can be cube shaped."

GLaDOS chuckled softly. "Even if you could, and you died and the Companion Cube survived, how would we get it through the emancipation grill?"

"Oh." Amy said softly, wrapping her arms around the Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube.

"So, no matter what we do, the Companion Cube dies somehow." GLaDOS finished.

"I won't let you do this. I don't care if we're stuck here, just don't hurt Cubert." Amy leaned more against the cube.

GLaDOS ran her fingers softly through Amy's hair, looking at the girl with her head cocked to the side. "If we're stuck here forever, we won't find out who did this to us; to Cubert, and we won't be able to get revenge."

"Revenge?" Amy looked up.

"Oh, you're young, you won't understand the concept of revenge," GLaDOS mock-sighed, looking away.

"I love revenge! Everybody loves revenge!" Amy smiled an evil, almost GLaDOS-like smile. "Now, we've GOT to go get some. For Cubert."

"For the Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube." GLaDOS concluded. The room filled with silence. "You ready?"

Amy sighed, then stood, placing Cubert on the button. "Ready." She whispered, and, before she could think about it, she ran up to the smaller button across the room, slaming it with her palm. She dashed back, picking up the cube and flinging it into the fire pit. Amy stepped away from the pit as it beeped shut, numb with shock. She walked away, then broke into a full out run to GLaDOS, who had kneeled to meet Amy's height. "OhmyGodCubert." Amy whispered, burying her face into GLaDOS's neck.

GLaDOS patted the girl on the back, then stood up. "Okay, that's enough sentiment for one day. Moving on."

The group moved towards the elevator. GLaDOS was the first off at test chamber eighteen, jogging headfirst into the room, ready to immerse herself in yet another mathematical puzzle, distracting herself from the world around her.

GLaDOS stopped in the center of the room, eyes transfixed on the Ginger-haired man in front of her. The two stared coldly at each other, not daring to speak a word. The man's face erupted into a smile as his bright blue eyes landed on Chell, who had just exited the elevator. "Oi! Chell! Over here!" he waved his hands frantically.

Chell walked slowly towards the two in the room, as the man continued. "Hello! What are you doing with _her_ anyways?" he shoved GLaDOS backwards.

Chell strutted forwards much faster, enraged. He could _not_ just waltz back into her life, and start pushing her friends around. Chell pulled the ASHPD back and slammed it into the man's head, knocking him out instantly. Alex ran in. "Who the hell was he?"

"That." GLaDOS kicked him over onto his back. "Is Wheatley. Say hello, then feel free to kill him." GLaDOS spent the next several minutes circling the unconscious figure as Chell paced angrily, taking multiple scans on her wrist computer. GLaDOS erupted into laughter.

"What is it?" Chell stopped, looking alarmed.

"Okay- so, do you… remember… how I'm… gunna… die… inafew days?" Chell nodded. GLaDOS continued. "Well, he won't."

"Oh." Chell rolled her eyes. "I thought I was rid of the moron. Anyways, explain."

"He can't, because… because there ISN'T ENOUGH DATA IN HIS MIND TO BURN!" GLaDOS erupted into laughter again. "He is literally too big a moron to die!"

Chell chuckled into her hand, but couldn't stop herself from laughing till her eyes filled with tears.

GLaDOS was the first to gain control. "Well, this kind of sucks. The turrets are too simple of programs, Wheatley's too stupid, so I'm the only one with the physical capability to die in two days. Oh, joy."

They all jumped as an irritated British voice filled the room. "OI! What's so funny?"

**Sorry for the delay. Oh, by the way, I illustrated a scene from this which is posted on my deviantART. Check it out: **

**http:[slash][slash]dishonestcake[dot]deviantart[dot]com[slash]gallery[slash]#[slash]d3jgonr**


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